


A Harpy's Hope

by orphan_account



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Katherine being a semi-decent person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 04:41:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7560754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If the relationship was an act on Kara Danver’s part, Katherine had to admit, she was an excellent actress. More likely, it was a hastily thought out relationship born from adoration, whose passion would soon fizzle out. Katherine despised the way Cat looked at the girl. She was too attached and all too likely to get hurt once Kara finally decided to look for someone her own age.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Harpy's Hope

For all her faults, Katherine Grant truly loved her daughter. Which made it all the more painful when she looked into Cat’s eyes and saw the disdain there. Katherine did not begrudge her daughter for it — she knew of her failings well enough, but every attempt to change had done neither of them any good. Cat was too defensive and Katherine too critical, both too rooted in their ways from years of habit.

Still, her harsh words were a result of Katherine’s love, however broken it may be. They were an attempt to spur Cat on to greatness, though often Cat’s vision of greatness differed from Katherine’s. The two had never been close, despite Katherine’s love for her — she was always superseded by Cat’s father. No small amount of jealousy had come as a result of that. Yet once Cat had gone off to pursue a career in journalism, the chasm between them had only grown, followed by the birth and loss of Adam. It was a mother’s duty to protect their child, and Cat had abandoned that responsibility.

If she were being honest with herself, though, Katherine resented Cat’s decision because she had expected more out of her daughter. Where Katherine had failed, she hoped Cat to succeed, and parenting was perhaps the one place Katherine had failed the most miserably in.

By the time Carter was born, Katherine and Cat were hardly on speaking terms. During the brief snippets of Cat’s life that Katherine was allowed to partake in, she found herself more controlling than she would have liked. It was impossible to not. She wanted to help, but Cat would not allow for even a minor suggestion.

In accordance with her daughter’s wishes — or more accurately, as a temporary truce for Carter’s sake — Katherine was trying to keep her comments to herself, despite seeing what a spectacular failure was sitting before her very eyes. They were at a family dinner, the first in well over the year, with Carter, Cat, and the pretty little assistant-turned-girlfriend. She was too young for Cat, too inexperienced, and too likely to hurt Cat, whether intentionally or not. 

She kept her lips pursed the entire dinner, though, keeping tabs on every slip the girl made. If the relationship was an act on Kara Danver’s part, Katherine had to admit, she was an excellent actress. More likely, it was a hastily thought out relationship born from adoration, whose passion would soon fizzle out. Katherine despised the way Cat looked at the girl. She was too attached and all too likely to get hurt once Kara finally decided to look for someone her own age.

“Grandma, do you want to come back to our house and play a game?” Carter, the sweet boy, asked. Their meal was almost over and soon Katherine would be returning to her hotel room, letting Cat return to her temporary relationship, happy and ignorant.

She smiled thinly in return. Cat cast a judgmental look her way, but the smile was only tense due to Katherine’s sadness at needing to decline. Of course her daughter wouldn’t want to spend more time than absolutely necessary with her. “I have an early flight tomorrow,” Katherine explained, trying to keep her voice light. It would do no good to show weakness. “But it was lovely to see you. Perhaps we can do this again soon?”

“If you’re available next time you’re in town,” Cat added dryly. Katherine eyed the glass of wine in Cat’s hand, trying to remember if it was the third or fourth.

Carter smiled, almost sadly, at the response, but nodded his head in understanding. “It was really nice seeing you.”

“You, as well, dear,” Katherine told him fondly. She glanced over at Kara again, trying to keep the sneer from her face. “And you, Kara.”

She pronounced it incorrectly, with the first syllable coming out like ‘care’, and was immediately corrected by Cat for it. “It’s _Kara_ , mother.”

It had been an innocent slip, but Cat would never believe it, so Katherine simply inclined her head with a clenched jaw. “Of course. My apologies.”

“It’s fine,” Kara said with an innocence that could only be fake. “It was nice meeting you out of the office.”

Katherine wondered if the girl would be by Cat’s side the next time she came to National City. Most likely not. A waiter came to the table before she could respond, asking if they desired dessert before the check. Katherine was just about to dismiss him when Carter spoke up with pleading eyes, asking if it was alright. Kara, Katherine noticed, had a similar look on her face, even if she did not vocalize it.

“Fine,” Cat sighed. “Order.”

“Can I look at the dessert display first?” Carter asked the waiter, who, of course, agreed. “Come on, Kara, let’s go!”

Kara glanced warily at Cat. Katherine despised the look — this girl was already poisoned against her. “You want to come?”

“I’m fine,” Cat said lowly.

“I’ll go.” The three looked at her strangely, but Katherine shrugged them off. She wanted to speak with Kara out of Cat’s earshot. “We’ll be right back, Kitty.”

She stood abruptly and walked to the display case with Carter in tow, with Kara following stiffly after sharing a shocked look with Cat. Carter eyed the desserts with greedy eyes once they were in front of it, looking back and forth between two types of cakes.

“Do you think mom’ll let me get one for tomorrow?” he asked Kara. Katherine wondered how close the two of them were — it was impossible to tell over dinner, although they did seem friendly. It hurt Katherine to think that he was getting too attached to Cat’s fling.

“I don’t know, buddy,” Kara said with a shrug. “Maybe?”

“I’m going to go ask her,” Carter declared, rushing back to their table. Kara made a motion to follow, but Katherine kept her in place by speaking.

“Do you love my daughter?”

It was too obvious for Katherine’s taste, but she only had so much time before Carter returned. Blasé would have to do.

“Y-yes,” Kara answered. It came out as a stutter and with a crack in the girl’s voice, much to Katherine’s displeasure.

“Is that an answer or a question?”

“An answer.” Kara’s voice was somewhat sturdier, but not by much. “I really love her.”

Katherine sighed at the naiveté, but let it go. Carter was already rushing back towards them and the conversation could not continue in front of him. “If you hurt either of them, I will make your life a living hell. Do you understand?”

To her surprise, a small, awkward smile appeared on Kara’s lips. “I’m glad.”

“Glad?” Katherine repeated, unsure of how else to respond. Carter was calling out about how it was alright to get two desserts and Kara was giving him a thumbs up sign. They started walking back towards the table, walking slowly due to Kara’s pace.

“I mean, you wouldn’t threaten me if you didn’t care about her, right?” Kara explained.

Katherine almost laughed. Perhaps there was something to be found in the girl beyond the looks.

“Find something to your tastes?” Cat asked, reaching for Kara’s hand the moment they were within arm’s length.

“Yep!” Kara responded cheerfully.

The way Cat looked at the girl worried Katherine in a way one clever comment would not assuage. If anything, Kara’s willingness to believe in the goodness of Katherine’s heart was a sign of her utter guilelessness.

“And you, mother?” Cat asked before taking another sip of wine.

“I’m fine, dear.”

Just this once, Katherine would force herself to let go of control. If Cat’s heart was broken and Carter’s hopes shattered, then Katherine would come to their aid when needed. Until then, she would keep a nervous watch over them from afar and pray for her daughter’s happiness. 

**Author's Note:**

> Katherine Grant reminded me a lot of my own grandmother and I just... Yeah. Wanted to write something about her not being a complete B, since I think people who act like that are normally very insecure and want to help, but don't know how. Anywho! Hope it was fine!


End file.
